The Phoenix Guard
::: The Phoenix Guard, formerly known as the Sunbringers of Solune were a non-guild oriented body that was comprised exclusively of Paladins and Priests. The members were intended to serve as exemplars and showcase what Blood Knights could be about, while driving forward the Lore that was revealed during the Quel'delar quest of Wrath of the Lich King. It should not be confused with the Guild of the same name as the two are completely independent entities and the latter bears little resemblence to the original concept at this point. ::: Initially founded by Lacryma Devanti and Sinsaria Dawnrose when the former was the Veiled Priestess, it would eventually be expanded upon and converted into a ongoing Blood Knight Roleplay group with it's counterpart serving as the Argent Resolve. Under the joint command of Arkanae and Inathia Sin'rendas, the Guard and Resolve gained notoriety for their role in laying siege to the Sunken Temple and confronting the forces of the Twilight's Hammer when they rose up to threaten Silvermoon. Their involvement can be found in the following stories: :::::: ::::::: "The Serpent War" ::::::: "Dark Storm Rising" ::::::: "United by Nessecity" ::::::: "The Second Day of Storms" ::::::: "The Hour of Judgment" "The Hour of Judgment" ::::::: "Shadows of the Horde" :::: Aftermath: ::: In the days following the fall of the Lightbreaker, the Guard was pulled back to Silvermoon. Following a quarrel between the younger Dawnrose and the commander, funding was pulled for the corps. It would have been likely disbanded and forgotten on that note, but for the efforts of Lacryma Devanti who sought to break it from the yoke of serving the nobility, and return it to it's original mission which was to serve Silvermoon foremost, and corrupt bureaucrats second. A brief legal over the name of the guard erupted before the Guard was reformed under a new name called "The Sun Guard". Invoking the Moon Guard of their Highborne ancestors, Lacryma permitted the once exclusively Paladin and Priest division to bring in a limited number of arcanists for matters that dealt in high magic. ::: The Sun Guard's prime goals were service to Quel'thalas, and to expunge corruption from the noble houses that plagued the first incarnation of the Phoenix Guard. As a result of these reforms, while the Sun Guard often worked with the Magistry and Reliquary they did not serve them directly. To fill the void of the loss of Dawnrose finances, which had been withdrawn; Devanti brokered what would be known as the "Silvermoon Compromise". The Silvermoon Compromise: :: After the fall of the Apophan and Lightbreaker, Lady Devanti brought to the attention of Regent Lord Lor'themar Theron the existence of several slush-funds which the Lady Sinsaria had accrued during the time when Lacryma was a Priestess of Silvermoon. ::::: :: These funds and holdings belonged to houses which no longer existed, and had not been declared or claimed by the Convocation or the Magistry in the days of the Crimson Circle. Because no heirs existed the funds were in a state of stagnation. Despite this state of stagnation, the funds had steadily been dwindling over the years, and no account of where the amounts had gone was available as records were very dodgy in the days after Arthas. ::::: :: While some were quick to point that perhaps Lady Sinsaria Dawnrose had been complicit in what appeared to be a longtime embezzlement scheme, Lady Devanti either out of fondness for the Dawnroses (or more likely acting on personal motive) suggested that rather than waste time with a costly litigation on a venerable and wise servant of Silvermoon, the funds should simply be liquidated, and the finances placed into a state fund for punitive damage payments, and other "auxilliary" expenditures. ::::: :: While normally the King would see to the dispersment of such funds, due to the unfortunate events in Outland, the Royal House was also defunct! As the funds could not be returned to the crown, given the fact that Kael'thas Sunstrider last heir apparent was also deceased; this created a quandry which was only exacerbated with the discovery that some Houses appeared to have been registered under falsified names (Such as the Everflow Family's toiletry expense). :: :: Rather than argue the matter ad infinitum (forever), it was finally decided that the Funds would be used as part of Lady Devanti's own settlement of affairs. In return for the dissolution of the slush funds and its finances, Lady Devanti agreed to drop a still pending counter-suit against her wrongful arrest and charges of slander by the Crimson Circle (The Solune Trial of 2010), along with her family's claim of ownership to the Island of Caer Darrow. In return the Devanti would be recompensed the value of their lost holdings and lands, lost wages and earnings (at present day value), making the family exceptionally wealthy overnight. ::::: :: Now armed with ample currency and feeling that Caer Darrow's theft, and her own reputation's smearing two years earlier by the Confessors had been suitably resolved, Lady Devanti did the last thing any expected. Instead of keeping her newly acquired wealth to herself and her brother, she invested a majority of the finances into endeavors back into Silvermoon itself, particularly the military which she was retired from now. The remaining funds were donated to a "Sunreaver Resettlement Fund" to provide relief to those made recently destitute by the Kirin Tor, and Lacryma touted the Elder Dawnrose as a visionary and hero. ::::: :: Indeed soon enough stories trickled in over the media crystals that the dead of Silvermoon continued to fight on for their people and that the Light of the Sun would protect and aid those made destitute by the Kirin Tor. Impressed with Lacryma's political maneuvering and the way she had turned a likely source of corruption into a force of good for the city; the original Knight Lord of the Phoenix Guard, Cyran Witherflame approached her with a concept. ::::: :: Witherflame invited Lacryma back to the Blood Knights, and suggested that she take over Ina'thia's former post in the Phoenix Guard, now re-dubbed the Sun Guard (due to a OOC request and agreement by the founders). With Lacryma's contribution, Witherblade felt that now was the time for a new premiere fighting force not beholden to nobility, and not mired by house bureaucracy to rise up to defend Silvermoon's interests at home and in Pandaria. :: With Dawnblade on assignment for the Regent Lord and deeply indentured in service to Lord Sunshield who seemed to intend to marry her; Lacryma stood as successor apparent to the order. She accepted, and was reinstated into the military a few days after the event. Thus from the ashes of many forgotten dead, the Phoenix ignited into fresh flame, and the Sun Guard, or as it was known unofficially "The Second Phoenix Guard" was born.